Introduction- This website is about learning some basics about a particular group of fish - Sharks!
The emphasis will be on sharks found in New England waters. These shark species are also found in other
places around the world, so the web site should be of use to anyone interested in sharks.

I thank the many people who have sent me photos and information for this website.
If you have comments, questions, suggestions, interesting shark information, or photos;
please e-mail me at: capt.tom@comcast.net

I put this website up because I was tired of reading and hearing erroneous information on sharks. I had my
own first hand experiences with sharks that contradicted what I was reading and hearing about them.

I make every effort to ensure the info on this website is correct.
I try to get the site readable on Internet Explorer, and Firefox. I keep it basic.
Depending on your browser you might find some text lines overlap.
I am a klutz when it comes to making website additions or changes . It becomes an adventure for me.
So bear with me as I try to keep the website up, in a very basic form.- Tom

Shark species have been around under our boats and noses for thousands of years, and I am sure there
are more undiscovered shark species out there in the ocean. In 1758 scientists classified about a dozen fish
species as sharks. Communications were poor then, the ocean is an enormous alien place, and scientists
had scant resources and limited mobility to investigate the watery world. Through the years, our growing
knowledge of sharks allowed us to classify 370 species in 1984, and today in 2017, about 500 species of
sharks have been classified. Since new species are constantly being discovered and added each year,
eventually, a new updated classification will emerge.
There was an incredible lack of knowledge about shark species until the 1940s, when the Navies and Air
Forces of the world got interested in sharks-because of survivors at sea encountering sharks during World
War II. The 1975 movie "Jaws ," spurred the public's interest in sharks; especially the white shark, Carcharodon carcharias. The white sharks received protection in 1997, and are on the increase in New
England, especially off the seal colony at Chatham, Cape Cod Mass.

With today's advanced technology, and people
spending more time in, on, under and over the ocean,
a better understanding of the ocean and its inhabitants
is emerging. Communications around the world are
much better now, so an unusual find may not go
unreported as it undoubtedly has in the past.
There are now more marine biologists and plenty
of cameras, and cell phone cameras worldwide to document a new or rare fish.

In the United States, on the East coast and Gulf of Mexico, from Maine to Texas, there are about 35
species of sharks. There are about 9 regularly occurring shark species in the New England area:
(blue-shortfin mako- white- sandbar-porbeagle -thresher- sandtiger -basking shark, and those pesty
dogfish) With a little effort and interest, you can learn about those species, and how to identify the sharks
that ply the coastal New England waters. We have some of the world's largest makos, porbeagles, whites
and blue sharks in our New England waters.

All the web pages on this site are listed below. They will also be listed again
at the bottom of each individual webpage.

Above are the shark species that have been found in the New England area.
*Shark species in red are protected species, and should be released unharmed.